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I personally have been on stage in front of an audience when something goes bad.
I think most people who've spent time on stage have. In fact, one of the important things if you're going to be performing a lot is to be able to handle things gracefully when things go bad. Some are better at this than others- I've known excellent performers who can, upon forgetting a lyric, sing absolute nonsense and sell it. Personally, I'm not that good at recovery- I often acknowledge the blunder (which you should never do), but at least I know that "the show must go on", no matter how stupid a thing you've done.
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Each time such a thing happens, it's a painful, scarring memory that makes me cringe to remember it.
Yeah, this is a miserable feeling. One thing I've learned hrough experience is that no matter how bad it gets, the audience always remember whatever you did last the most, so there's usually a chance to make up for whatever you've done. Of course, if you mess up your big exit I guess you're toast!

The thing with Ashlee is, she really should have been prepared for what happened. Yes it was bad, but if she and the band were really tight (as you'd expect peforming on live television) they'd have been able to pull something off. There are plenty of stories about "fatal" things happing to bands such as the sound system completely cutting out where it was handled gracefully and professionly.

Probably one of my most embarassing moments was when I was called in as a guest to lead worship at a church. Normally they had a big band with drums, electric guitar, etc. but this week it was just me. It all went great and led the congregation through several songs before the sermon. To close out, the pastor was supposed to pray and then transition gracefully into a last, very energetic worship song. So I walk up to the stage while he's praying. It's all very silent as I pickup up my guitar, and I drop my pick into it on the way up. This was how I learned to always have a backup pick with me whenever I play. So I'm standing there trying to figure out what to do; I can't very well start shaking out my guitar while all of these people are in the middle of prayer, so I just sit there terrified (this was a good size crowed, none of whom I knew). I decide as I'm standing there that I can't possibly make the song work without a pick. I could use my nails, but that just wouldn't have produced the high energy the song was supposed to have. So the pastor says "amen" and turns around to me expectantly and I flush red. I give an apologetic shrug, turn my guitar over and start shaking it like a mad fiend. Totally killed the moment for sure, and everyone got a good laugh. Of course, a good laugh isn't always a bad thing, but for me it seemed like an eternity as I shook that pick out. Of course, a year later I ended up getting hired to lead worship for the church every week, so clearly it was more difficult for me than the congregation.
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-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.